The Amazon Labor Union has moved to affiliate with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a potential partnership that could help the upstart group pressure Amazon.com Inc. into hammering out a contract with workers at a New York City warehouse.
The ALU won a landmark victory in 2022, organizing thousands of workers at an Amazon facility in Staten Island. But the union lost two subsequent elections and descended into conflict between leader Chris Smalls and other ALU officials. In the meantime, attempts to bring Amazon to the bargaining table faltered.
Smalls said he and 15 other ALU officials hammered out an agreement in Washington with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien and his colleagues. The ALU’s 8,300 members still need to vote on the proposed affiliation, which should happen in coming weeks, Smalls said.
“We came to an agreement where we’re going to take on Amazon together,” Smalls said in an interview with Bloomberg. “It’s in our best interest to have more resources and strength in numbers.”
Amazon didn’t immediately provide comment.5
